Walls of Safety
by chewing.on.PEARLS
Summary: aangxtoph!one shot!Toph has been locked behind palace doors for many years now!Helpless and blind, they called her.What if she meets a new friend?Will she leave the walls of safety?no bending.old time China


A/N: My second fic!this is around 246BC! I did it for a writing and history project combined!well I hope u like!!

_Walls of Safety_

The young girl quirked up a black eyebrow. This was definitely a different voice to her, one she had not heard before. She could feel the movements through the ground and by the light vibrations it was giving off, it seemed to be a young boy.

"Ah, yes. Toph!"

She turned her head towards the right, her pale green eyes filled with question. She was not totally facing the king an effect of her being blind since birth.

"Please escort this young man to the prince's chamber," he ordered kindly.

Toph nodded. "Follow me," she said as she walked through the big doors and into the hallway, her kimono dragging behind her. It was summer time and very hot indeed, but Toph resisted from wearing a yukata (a summer kimono) in the presence of the king and his guest. It was simply not done.

Toph was so wrapped up in her "heat flash" that she didn't notice the silence; but after a while the boy spoke up.

"So you wait on Emperor Shihungdi?" he asked.

She smiled. Something she hadn't done in a long time.

"Yes," she answered blankly.

"Oh…my name is Aang by the way. You should come hang with me and my friends sometime…" He trailed off hoping she would tell him her name.

"Toph…my name is Toph," she stated bluntly.

She could feel his heart race with excitement.

"Nice to meet you, Toph."

"Likewise."

She stopped and knocked on a door, waiting for the answer.

"Who is it?" came a harsh voice

"Who do you think it is?!" she shot back rudely through the door.

Not really something to shout at royalty but she knew who she was talking to. She could feel someone come to the door and open it as a chuckle escaped the person's lips.

"I think I know now. Good morning, Toph," greeted the person at the door.

A tall boy with dark, black hair and golden eyes stood there, a small smirk on his face. Yes, this was Prince Zuko but known to Toph as "Zuzu". Even though that wasn't his favorite nickname, he allowed Toph to call her that, she being like Zuko's little sis since 5 and all.

Toph stepped aside to show Zuko his visitor.

"Oh hey, Aang, 'bout ready?" he asked as he walked out of the room and down the hall with his friend.

Aang just nodded his grey eyes sparkling. "Oh yeah, and Toph like I said, we should get together sometime. Say tomorrow at noon? I'll be back! Bye!" he yelled happily

"Wait!" she screamed after him. "I don't know if I…"

He didn't listen; he just walked out the door and into the throne room. She sighed, "…can…"

Leave the palace? Most certainly not! She had never left the palace in her life. Toph had always been in the safety of these walls. Always.

But this was to "protect her from the violence of the outside world" said the Emperor, and he was like her father. He loved her and Zuko more than anything; but kept a special watch on her because _she _was blind. To him, she was frail, defenseless, and tiny but Toph was way more strong willed than that.

But still…away from these walls of protection?

She plodded into the throne room, but could feel no vibrations of anyone there.

No. She was definitely not leaving now. Now that she remembered what was wrong with the Emperor. He had been struck with a disease and had been horribly ill lately. She would not leave him in his time of need.

Toph walked down the hallway and knocked on another door all the way down that was guarded by guards.

"Who is it?" the Emperor asked.

"It's Toph."

He started a coughing fit and then took a sharp breath as Toph walked in, tears welling up in her light green orbs.

"Oh dear," the Emperor cooed sweetly, "come here."

She slumped over to him, tears now slipping to the tip of her nose as she looked down sadly.

"Everything's going to be alright. I'm going to be alright," he promised as he patted his hand on the bed signaling her to sit.

He began to cough again as she felt his heart steadily beat in his chest. He was so sick and was getting older now. He hugged her tightly.

He always thought of her as a princess, part of the royal family and if not that, a daughter with a few extra chores.

Her eyes began to get heavy as she soon closed them drifting off to sleep…

Toph woke up to the sound of a knock at the door. She got up and went to it to hear a voice of a guard. She learned to remember almost everyone in the palaces' voice.

"Toph there is a boy here for you."

She slept in _that _late?

Walking into the throne room, she stopped in front of the bow with a not-so-pleasant face on.

"So you ready to-"

"I'm not going…" she mumbled as she frowned at the ground. She could feel his high spirits drop.

"But you said-"

"I said nothing. You didn't wait for my answer and simply ran off. I don't have time to rummage around the streets of Xianyang!" she up roared as she looked to the left.

"Why don't you ever listen or look at me when I'm talking to you?" he growled.

Her eyes went wide; he really didn't notice?

"You really don't get it do you?" He drew back in surprise. "I'm blind!" she tried to get out through hot, over-flowing tears.

They dripped down her small, round face as she turned around and began to walk away.

"Wait!" he yelled. She kept on walking. "I'm sorry. I didn't notice and I know I should have. Please! Maybe we can hang out around the palace instead," he wined pleadingly.

She stopped in her tracks, only a few sniffle sounds escaping. "I'd like that…"

So day after day, Aang would come by with a couple of friends and hang out. And day after day, he would leave Toph with a pleasant smile on her face.

She finally had someone to talk to that was her age. She finally could be a real teen and tell her friends all about why she didn't want to leave and what was wrong with the Emperor.

It was all going uphill until one frightful day. One frightful night, to be exact.

Toph was crying over the Emperor as she held his hand. _He promised he be ok!_ She thought to herself solemnly.

"Go get the palace doctor!" she commanded a servant girl.

The servant quickly rushed out and came back with a doctor who was currently checking the Emperor's pulse.

Then Prince Zuko and Aang rushed in. "We heard there was something wrong with my father! What is it?!" asked Zuko hurriedly.

"I…I don't know," Toph stuttered out truthfully as she held tighter to his hand.

"Toph…" the Emperor whispered. "When I pass away, please take my place on the thrown."

"But Prince Zuko-"

"..has decided for you to take my place instead. I have locked you up in this place so long; it's time for you to take charge. Be a teenager. Have fun."

She looked down sadly. "But I don't want to do it alone…" she murmured.

"You won't be alone," he smiled up at her, "I was never alone."

She heard him take his last breath as she made a slight grin.

She was to be a great empress, one of the best. Standing up from the bed, she ran over to her friends and embraced them as she cried both tears of joy and sadness. For at least she had them and was to never be alone. Because these weren't walls of sadness or loneliness.

These were walls of love. Walls of friendship.

Walls of safety.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N:it felt a bit rushed at the end but i hope u like!Review plz!!!


End file.
